2. Improvisation & Basslines

3. Jazz Standard Studies

Course Info

Welcome to this course on the minor blues progression.

We start by introducing the minor blues form and exploring the similarities and differences to the standard 12 bar blues. At first glance, it appears that the minor blues are the same as the standard, except with minor chords instead of dominant 7 chords. There are a few other key differences which we will highlight in lesson 1 of the course.

Enhancing The Minor Blues Form

We will then look at enhancing the minor blues form with inversions, substitutions and rehamonisations. We can also introduce passing chords to add harmonic interest to the 12 bar minor blues progression. You should be comfortable with the concepts of chord extensions, altered harmony, and rootless voicings. If these areas are new to you, then check out these courses:

Minor Pentatonic & Blues Scales

Matt then introduced the minor pentatonic scale and the blues scale. These 2 scales are very similar in their construction and can both be used for improvisation over minor chords. We start by recapping on the basic theory and then jump straight in with some improvisation drills and exercises to get you familiar and comfortable with these useful scales.

Modal Scale Theory & Application

We then take the application of scales a step further by introducing modal scales. Modal scales are more exotic sounding than the pentatonic and blues scales. We discuss and explore combining these scales to access more interesting sounds on the piano.

Left Hand Patterns & Basslines

There is a lesson dedicated to left hand patterns and basslines. We analyse the different types of bassline patterns that you can use, starting by outlining the primary chord tones, and then moving onto step-wise basslines which outline the tones of the scale.

Mr P.C. Jazz Standard Study

In the final lesson in this course, we apply everything we have learnt to the famous tune "Mr PC" written by John Coltrane. We use the iRealPro backing track to practice our in-tempo improvisation over the form.